Mixing machines



K. J. HARRISON MIXING MACHINES Dec. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1961 FIG. 1.

INVE NTQR: Kennel/1 James Haw/250m HTTORNEYS K. J. HARRISON MIXING MACHINES Dec. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed Sept. 25, 1961 FIG. 4.

INVE NTOR;

I United States Patent 3,160,400 MlXlNG MACHENES Kenneth James Harrison, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, assignor to The Liner Concrete Machinery Company Limited, Gateshead,l1lngland- Eiied Sept. 25, 19:51, Ser. No. 140,235 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 26, 1960,

32,937/69 4 Claims. (Cl. 259-478) This invention is for improvements in or relating to mixing machines and is especially, although not exclusively, concerned With machines for mixing granular materials. A particular application of the invention is to concrete mixing machines.

The invention is concerned with mixing machines of the kind comprising a stationary pan within which there is located a rotary mixing unit comprising a hub or nave adapted to rotate about an axis through the base of the pan and carrying one or more arms arranged circumferentially about the hub and projecting outwardly therefrom. These arms are provided at their extremities with blades or the like which are positioned at or near the base of the pan. The mix is usually discharged from the pan through a door or shutter controlled opening in the base thereof.

An object of the present invention 'is to provide a mixing machine of the above kind which embodies inexpensive and relatively simple means for driving the rotary mixing unit or device at a relatively high speed. A further object of the invention is to provide a driving arrangement for mixers which will result in much less wear and tear to moving parts.

According to the present invention, there is provided a mixing machine of the above kind wherein the mixing unit is driven by a hydraulic motor or motors. Oil under pressure for the operation of the hydraulic motor is provided by one or more pumps driven by a prime mover (e.g'. an internal combustion engine or electric motor) on or associated with the mixer. Alternatively oil under pressure may be supplied from a pressure main where such is available.

Control and relief valves will be provided in the piping between the hydraulic-pressure supply source and the hydraulic motor or motors. The control valve means may be adapted for adjustment so as to vary the speed of rotation of the hydraulic motor and thereby the speed of rotation of the mixing device.

Some specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings whereon:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of one embodiment,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of a second embodimerit,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevation of a third embodiment, and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevation of another embodiment.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, indicates the stationary pan on the upper part of which there is fixed a spider 11 which supports a centrally located hydraulic motor 12. The shaft 13 of the motor 12 carries for rotation with it the rotary mixing unit which comprises a hub or nave 14 and arms 15 having removable extensions 16 provided at their extremities with mixing blades 17.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 2 is similar to that just described with reference to FIG- URE 1 and where applicable like reference numerals have been used to designate like parts. In the embodiments shown in FIGURE 2, however, the spider 11 is dispensed with and the hydraulic motor 12 is housed in and secured to a central raised portion or dome 18 of the pan 10.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 is also similar to that already described with reference to FIGURE 1 except that in this case the shaft 13 of the motor is held fixed in the spider 11 and the arms 15 of the mixing unit are secured to the motor casing which in this case constitutes the rotatable or driven element of the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic circuit of the motor includes pipes 19 and 20 which pass through the shaft 13. This avoids the difficulty of taking connections from the hydraulic circuit directly to the motor casing bearing in mind that the latter is designed to rotate.

FIGURE 4 shows an arrangement similar toFIGURE 3 the arms 15 being mounted on the rotatable casing of the hydraulic motor 12. In this case, however, the shaft 13 of the motor is held fixed in a socket or sleeve 21 secured to the upper part of the stationary dome-like central part 18 ofthe pan 10. Here again, pipes or passages 19 and 20 for the supply and exhaust of hydraulic pressure fluid for the hydraulic motor pass through the stationary shaft 13 of the motor.

I claim:

1. A mixing machine comprising a stationary pan, a

7 motor supporting structure having a socket member positioned over the pan, a hydraulic driving motor having a casing and a shaft member drivingly associated with said casing so that rotation of the casing takes place when the pan, a mixing device on the end of said part and positioned adjacent the base and side wall of the pan and conduit means passing through said fixed shaft of the motor for the supply of hydraulic pressure fluid to the motor whereby said casing is caused to rotate and to drive said mixing device around the pan.

2. A concrete mixing machine comprising a stationary pan, a motor supporting structure having a socket memhaving a casing, a shaft and an internal reaction element within said casing and fixed on said shaft, said rection element having means which react with means on the interior of the casing to cause rotation of the casing when the motor shaft is held stationary and hydraulic pressure fluid is supplied to the motor, means fixedly positioning said motor shaft in said socket member. whereby the motor is supported by said structure and said shaft is held against rotation, at least one arm secured to and extended outwardly from said casing of the hydraulic motor and having a part which depends into the mixing pan, a mixing device on the end of said part and positioned adjacent the base and side wall of the pan and conduit means passing through said fixed shaft of the motor for the supply of hydraulic pressure fluid to the motor whereby said casing is caused to rotate and to drive said mixing device around the pan.

3. A mixing machine comprising a stationary pan having an upwardly projecting dome on its base positioned so as to define, with the wall of the pan, an annular mixing space, said dome having a socket member in its upper part, a hydraulic driving motor having a casing, a shaft and an internal reaction element within said casing and fixed on said shaft, said reaction element having means which react with means on the interior of the casing to motor, means fixedly positioning said motor shaft in said Patented Dec. 8, 1964 a socket member whereby the motor is supported by, and above said dome and said shaft is held against rotation, at least one arm secured to and'extended radially from said casing of the hydraulic motor and having a part which depends into said mixing space of the pan, a mixing device on the end of said'part and-positioned adjacent the base and side wall of the pan and conduit means passing through said fixed shaft of the motor for the supply of hydraulic pressurefluid to the motor whereby said casing is caused to rotate and to drive said mixing device around the pan.

4. A concrete mixing pan, a motor supporting structure in the form of a spider mountedon the upper part of the panand having a socket member at its centre positioned over the pan, a hydraulic driving motor'having a casing, a shaft and an internal re action element Within said casing and fixed on said shaft, said reaction element having means which react with means on the interior of the casing to cause rotation of the casing when the motor shaft is held stationary and bydraulic pressure fluid is supplied to the motor, means fixedly positioning said motor shaft in said socket member whereby the motor is supported by said structure and said shaft is held against rotation, at least one arm secured to machine comprising a stationary and extended outwardly from said casing of the hydraulic motor and having a part which depends into the mixing pan, a mixing device on the end of said part and positioned adjacent the base and side Wall of the pan and conduit means passing through said fixed shaft of the motor for the supply of hydraulic pressure fluid to the motor whereby said casing is caused to rotate and to drive said mixing device around the pan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,400 Junkers Nov. 14, 1933 2,254,274r Doe Sept. 2, 1941 2,573,837 Fox Nov. 6, 1951 2,577,802 Payne Dec. 11, 1951 2,623,449 Losee Dec. 30, 1952 2,638,329 Weyg-and et al May 12, 1953 3,020,029 Fejmert Feb. 6, 1962 3,023,580 Dilg -1 Mar.,6, 1962 3,069,145 Fejmert Dec. 18, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Oct. 10, 1957 

1. A MIXING MACHINE COMPRISING A STATIONARY PAN, A MOTOR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE HAVING A SOCKET MEMBER POSITIONED OVER THE PAN, A HYDRAULIC DRIVING MOTOR HAVING A CASING AND A SHAFT MEMBER DRIVINGLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CASING SO THAT ROTATION OF THE CASING TAKES PLACE WHEN THE MOTOR SHAFT IS HELD STATIONARY AND HYDRAULIC PRESSURE FLUID IS SUPPLIED TO THE MOTOR, MEANS FIXEDLY POSITIONING SAID MOTOR SHAFT IN SAID SOCKET MEMBER WHEREBY THE MOTOR IS SUPPORTED BY SAID STRUCTURE AND SAID SHAFT IS HELD AGAINST ROTATION, AT LEAST ONE ARM SECURED TO AND EXTENDED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CASING OF THE HYDRAULIC MOTOR AND HAVING A PART WHICH DEPENDS INTO THE MIXING PAN, A MIXING DEVICE ON THE END OF SAID PART AND POSITIONED ADJACENT THE BASE AND SIDE WALL OF THE PAN AND CONDUIT MEANS PASSING THROUGH SAID FIXED SHAFT OF THE MOTOR FOR THE SUPPLY OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE FLUID TO THE MOTOR WHEREBY SAID CASING IS CAUSED TO ROTATE AND TO DRIVE SAID MIXING DEVICE AROUND THE PAN. 